UTV Lifestyle - Youths take to the airwaves

Subscribe to the Lifestyle Feed Lifestyleback to Lifestyle

Youths take to the airwaves

Text Size:  A  A |  POST A COMMENT |  PRINT |  SHARE 
To coincide with the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, young people from a number of youth organisations are taking over the airwaves at UTV, as part of the 'We Want the Airwaves' initiative.
Video available to UK viewers only.
We’re sorry. This video is unavailable from your location.

Earlier in the week, Shea Reynolds, Aodan Curley and Tristan Boyle from the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People's Youth Panel, and Nicole (Nikki) Clinton from Young NCB, kicked off the programme by inviting Marc Mallett to experience an 'average' Saturday in Belfast.

As part of a report for The Seven Thirty Show, the group took Marc out with a budget of £10, where they visited the Belfast Guitar Emporium, had lunch at Castlecourt, and finished the afternoon Bouldering at the Ozone.

On Thursday night, young people from NICCY's Youth Panel featured on UTV Live Tonight where they interviewed Northern Ireland's politicians, including the First Minister Peter Robinson.

The following day, more youths took to U105's airwaves where they discussed how young people are perceived by the media and local communities, equality and the effect of negative stereotyping on them.

They also talked about the Play and Leisure policy, focusing on the shortage of age-appropriate venues that could be accessed at an affordable price.

The aim of the policy is to establish play within a policy framework that will place high value on play and leisure as an essential element in the development of children's lives, families, communities and society.

Also highlighted were some of the issues that face older teens such as the limited access to live music events due to age, the lack of frequency, and unaffordable admission prices.

Later on UTV Live, the station's youngest ever reporter Ruth Erwin reported on how young people feel towards other young people from ethnic minorities.

Speaking on the 20th Anniversary of the signing of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Gerry Campbell, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People said the Executive must do more for children's rights.

"The Committee identified the need for urgent action," said Mr Campbell. "While we welcome the forthcoming statement from the Executive, committing to respond positively to the Committee's Concluding Observations, it is disappointing to see how little progress has been made in implementing change."

"The consequences of budget cuts, particularly in early intervention services, can have a subsequent profound effect on children which, in turn, may lead to increased crisis intervention costs in future years.

"We will continue to hold Government to account, monitor actions and report if they let our children and young people down. Twenty years on it is time for them deliver on the promises they made when they signed the Convention."

In the coming weeks, NICCY will launch a 12-month campaign, engaging with children and young people to challenge Government to take action on the key issues affecting their lives.

© UTV News

Send to a friend

Email To
Your Name
Comment
Close
At 18:39 on 21 November 2009, Kathryn wrote:
Awk these wee kids did really well. Fair play. If only all teenagers could be more like you.
At 13:30 on 20 November 2009, Fiona wrote:
Anna, I know the NICCY youth panel member that was on TV and he actually volunteers his time to sit on the panel amonst many other activities he 's involved in around his community. Any youth organisation or forum can't be truely representative of all socio / economic / cultural and geographic communities but I'd be fairly confident that those young people who are involved in these forums are more representative of young people and are more aware of young people's issues than the majority of adults!
At 12:56 on 20 November 2009, Ciaran McGeown wrote:
Hi, just on that last comment, I dont agree with it because I have been following the stuff that NICCY and other young people have been doing and they were excellent. I would obviously think that they should volunteer NICCY youth panel. So well done to all! CHILDREN HAVE RIGHTS!
At 22:47 on 19 November 2009, Anna wrote:
I saw the piece on UTV evening news where one of the NICCY youth panel was complaining about not having anything to do. Would his time not be better spent doing something worthwhile like volunteering? I have a 16 yr old son who is never bored, because he spends his spare time coaching kids soccer. So maybe it's time that these kids got off their backsides and went out and did something worthwhile within their own community. There are plenty of opporunities out there. And in terms of being a NICCY panellist, is it fair to say that he's truly representative of our young people?
Post a comment
Name:
Email Address:
Location:
Your Comment:
Verification Code: Captcha Code  Get New Code
POST COMMENT
[Before posting, please take a moment to familiarise yourself with our house rules. All comments are moderated and will not appear immediately. Any information you enter, including email and web addresses, will be displayed on our site if passed by our moderators.]

Gallery